Pedro could be in a very good or very bad situation here. If he can catch MHD in a post-Pate hangover, he could run away with a surprise victory and establish himself as a team that will be in it to win it throughout the season. However, if MHD brings some sort of wrath after losing such a close match-up, Pedro may be rendered powerless. Based on the numbers, Pedro doesn’t have much of a chance. But he has had some success against MHD in the past.
Prediction: MHD wins 7-3MATCH-UP #2: LUKE VS. KRUEG

After an embarrassing loss in week one, Krueg rebounded strongly in week two. Luke’s been struggling now for about 3 years and it’s probably not going to change this week. A post tax day hangover could distract Krueg, but he should still win this one fairly easily.
Prediction: Krueg wins 6-4

MATCH-UP #3: STRODE VS. PATE

Strode is down, and Pate is up. The hottest team in the MML dating back to last season doesn’t look to let up this week, although Strode can put together some solid offensive stats. Given Pate’s early season pitching woes and Strode’s ability to at least hang in there offensively, this one could turn out to be the match-up of the week. But don’t be surprised if Pate kicks the shit out of Strode either.
Prediction: Pate wins 6-3

MATCH-UP #4: GIBBY VS. TIM

This should be an interesting battle. Two of the Bachelors’ upper-mid-level teams primed and ready for a break-out year facing off early in the season will be a great opportunity to make themselves noticed. Although I worry that if Gibby can’t completely dominate this league when Albert is hot, I don’t know what he will do when Albert cools down, Gibby still has the better team and should squeak out a win this week.
Prediction: Gibby wins 5-4

MATCH-UP #5: PAUL VS. ANDY

Again I ask, whatever happened to Paul? Andy brings his perennial all-stars in to face a team who’s trying to redefine his dominance… or should I say dignity… after putting the league to shame in his first two years. Paul’s got the tools to pull a good upset, and he’s going to need it this week, or else Andy will roll all over him like his balls rolled all over Paul’s sisters chin.
Prediction: Andy wins 7-2

MATCH-UP #6: PHIL VS. DUKE

Is this the week that Phil starts paying attention and Duke’s players come back down to earth? Even attention on Phil’s part may only result in a small victory, and with the roll that Duke’s on so far, he’s got the edge. Duke will win this match-up but don’t be surprised if this one turns out to be a blow-out in Phil’s favor.
Prediction: Duke wins 5-4

MATCH-UP #7: MANTIS VS. JIMMY

Jimmy’s paying attention this year and it’s beginning to show. Mantis has gotten off to a slow start, and until he turns it around, it would be hard to pick him to win over anyone other than Pedro and Paul. Jimmy should win this one handily, but don’t be surprised if Mantis comes up with a big week puts Jimmy in his place.
Prediction: Jimmy wins 7-3

MATCH-UP #8: LACKEY VS. DICKMAN

This one should be interesting if you enjoy watching car crashes that occur at about 2 miles per hour and still result in someone being carted off in a gurney. The good news for them is that one or both of them should end the week somewhere near the middle or top of their division. And the good news for the rest of the league is that you should be able to count most of their stats on your hands.
Prediction: Dickman wins 6-4

First off, I would like to apologize for not getting this up until Tuesday. Too much of a combination of work, Easter beer, winning $50 in a poker game (where $60 total was paid and the other $10 was mine), and breaking beds kept me plenty distracted on this holiday weekend. I will try to do better next week.

Manager of the week: Krueg

Team of the week: Happy At Hooters
Surprise of the week: Happy At Hooters
Player of the week: Albert Pujols
Pitcher of the week: Chris Ray

MATCH-UP #1: MHD VS. PATE

The long awaited rematch of last year’s championship did not disappoint. Pate jumped out to an early lead and was able to hold MHD off in a match-up that came down to the last few games of the week. This may be becoming the MML’s version of the Yanks and BoSox.
Result: Pate wins 5-4

MATCH-UP #2: STRODE VS. KRUEG

After some early week worries (and by early, I mean Tuesday morning), Krueg rebounded from a devastating loss and beat the crap out of Strode. Strode put up a solid week across the board as well, but Krueg seemed to always be one step ahead.
Result: Krueg wins 7-1

MATCH-UP #3: ANDY VS. TIM

After a promising first week, Andy put Tim back in his place with a decisive win. Neither team had a spectacular showing, but Andy’s week was plenty to carry him on to a week 2 victory.
Result: Andy wins 7-2

MATCH-UP #4: LUKE VS. GIBBY

Thanks to POW Albert Pujols, Gibby was able to fend off Luke. A classic match-up of pitching vs. hitting almost ended in a direct split of one team getting all the offensive stats, and the other getting all the pitching stats. Gibby’s off to a good start, and as long as Pujols stays on pace to hit over 100 HR’s this season, he should remain a contender all season long.
Result: Gibby wins 6-4

MATCH-UP #5: JIMMY VS. PAUL

Another tight match-up proved that pitching can win. Jimmy’s dominant staff carried him to victory in this match-up, despite recording 0 saves. Oh, how far Paul has dropped since his glory days. My question is, who will win a championship first? The Cubs… or Paul.
Result: Jimmy 6-4

MATCH-UP #6: DICKMAN VS. DUKE

Duke did just enough to squeak out another win and remain among the top teams in the league. Although beating Dickman hasn’t been impressive since he somehow made it to the championship a couple years ago, a win is a win, and Duke is proving he can put up the offensive stats to compete with anyone and some solid ERA’s and WHIP.
Result: Duke wins 5-4

MATCH-UP #7: PEDRO VS. LACKEY

These two better get used to seeing their names next to each other because if they keep this up, they’ll have the first two picks in next year’s draft. The good news is that at least when it’s Pedro’s turn to pick we’ll be waiting 5 hours for 2 picks rather than having to wait that long for each individual pick from the lovable trombonist.
Resulg: Lackey wins 6-4

MATCH-UP #8: MANTIS VS. PHIL

Well, if you look at Phil’s ERA of 6.66, I think it’s a good indication that the Cubs will not win the World Series again, and that Phil will not win an MML championship again. Mantis put together a stellar pitching performance for the week, but if he doesn’t get some offense together soon, he’ll be sitting in the middle of the pack at best… again.
Resulg: Mantis wins 6-3

A rematch of last year’s championship looks to be the premier match-up of the week… if not the year. Other teams in both leagues should be looking at this match-up to see who their main competition this season. You should expect to see a lot of movement on the transaction wire from these two teams this week, and you may want to keep a close eye on players becoming available who should be hot waiver picks as both of these teams will do whatever they have to to win this match-up. I can’t even begin to make a decent prediction on this match-up so we’ll have to call it a wash.
Prediction: Tie 5-5

MATCH-UP #2: STRODE VS. KRUEG

This one should be a tight match-up, and maybe there should be a little rivalry started with the two Tulsa members in the league. Maybe the “Oral Roberts is my gay lover” rivalry… Krueg may have the stronger pitching staff, but most of his pitchers will have to wait and see what happens the first few days. Strode’s got an offense that’s tough to keep up with at time, but it can also fall asleep. I could see either team winning 9-1 and I could also see a 5-5 tie going into the last day. This one’s just too hard to call, but Krueg showed his dedication in week one to making the moves necessary to get as many points as possible. Because of this, I have to give him a slight edge.
Prediction: Krueg wins 5-4

MATCH-UP #3: TIMDAWG VS. ANDJOB

This should be a fun match-up as well. Andjob has one of the perennial powerhouses in the MML and Timdawg is coming off a week in week in which he would’ve beaten just about anybody. The wildcard is going to be what their pitching staffs can do because we all know the offenses in this battle are going to be intense. This may be Tim’s year, and Andjob’s team is not as good this year as it was the last two years, so Timdawg gets the slight edge in this match-up.
Prediction: Timdawg wins 6-4

MATCH-UP #4: GIBBY VS. LUKE

It’s no secret in the MML that Luke usually sucks. Gibby always sucks too, but he’s got the better team and he at least makes some form of the playoffs every year. Gibby’s also got the more dominant pitching staff and since neither have much in the way of closers, I can’t give Luke an edge there. This one probably won’t be very close, but we can all aplaud Luke for trying every year.
Prediction: Gibby wins 7-2

MATCH-UP #5: PAUL VS. JIMMY

Whatever happened to Paul? He used to dominate this league, and then he got engaged and married and fell faster than Andy’s cast in a rain storm. Jimmy brings in the most improved team in the league and is riding a strong Week 1. Paul might find some magic dust on his sister’s cooch and once again rise to the top, but until then, he’s probably one of the only teams that will have trouble staying ahead of Duke and Lackey.
Prediction: Jimmy wins 6-3

MATCH-UP #6: DUKE VS. DICKMAN

A match-up of the two luckiest fuckers in the league. Both teams had a very good start in week one, and both should probably expect some sort of slump in week two. Both teams are pretty crappy, but obviously capable of putting up good performances. This will be an interesting battle to watch for those of you who like to watch two snails in a boxing match.
Prediction: Duke wins 5-4

MATCH-UP #7: PEDRO VS. LACKEY

Pedro’s pitching staff is crippled for another week or two. Lackey’s team is crippled because it sucks real bad. Regardless, this will be a match-up you probably won’t bother to click on in the stat-tracker. Pedro put up a strong stand against Pate on the last day of week 1. Because of this miracle, I have to say that Pedro’s got the edge in this one, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Prediction: Pedro wins 6-4

MATCH-UP #8: MANTIS VS. PHIL

Phil always finds a way to win. Mantis utilized a solid draft strategy to improve his team. This is a hard call, and a lot depends on how much attention Phil pays to his team. On paper, Mantis has the edge. But Phil hasn’t finished in the top three the last two years just because he has a thing for married chicks. Mantis’ big advantage here is that he’s catching Phil before Phil really gets into it, so he should pull out the victory.
Prediction: Mantis wins 6-3

MHD picked up where he left off with a great offensive performance to start the new season. Never really a close match-up to begin with, but Krueg made some moves during the week to get a couple points.
Result: MHD wins 8-2

MATCH-UP #2: PATE VS. PEDRO

Pate had a strong week to start the defense of his first ever MML title. Pedro was able to gain some respectibility with a couple of solid pitching performances the last day of the week. No surprises here, but Pedro showed he’s ready to improve on his 14th place finish last year.
Result: Pate wins 7-2

MATCH-UP #3: TIMDAWG VS. LUKE

Probably the best match-up of the week. Both put up solid stats accross the board, but in the end, Luke was outmatched. Timdawg probably would have beaten most, if not all, other teams in the league.
Result: Timdawg wins 6-4

MATCH-UP #4: GIBBY VS. PHIL

This battle was closer than the final score dictates. Runs and HR could have gone either way, but ultimately Gibby got the last laugh. Both pitching staffs were so-so, and both offenses were slightly above average. Expect both of these teams to be in it for the long haul this season.
Result: Gibby wins 7-3

MATCH-UP #5: ANDY VS. JIMMY

One of the more intriguing match-ups coming into the week lived up to the hype. Andy brought in one of the best teams in the league over the past few years, while Jimmy brought in the most improved team. A tie was inevitable here, and the rest of the division should be worried about Jimmy’s vast improvement… even after Gagne went down.
Result: Tie 5-5

MATCH-UP #6: PAUL VS. DICKMAN

Paul used to be the cream of the crop… now he’s just a dude in the league with a sister we all fantasize about (especially Tim). Dickman dominated offensively, and that made the difference since both teams had very mediocre pitching weeks. Don’t expect to see either of these teams in the championship this year, but they may have the talent to surprise some people.
Result: Dickman wins 5-3

MATCH-UP #7: DUKE VS. MANTIS

In probably the only “upset” of the week, the Duke man-handled Mantis proving that maybe his draft wasn’t as bad as some of us thought. A great performance this week by Duke, but not good enough to compete with the big dogs in the league, and you shouldn’t place any bets on Duke winning the league… or even making the championship bracket.
Resulg: Duke wins 7-2

MATCH-UP #8: LACKEY VS. STRODE

This one could’ve gone either way. Everything but HR’s was close on the offensive sides and both pitching staffs sucked. Don’t expect to see either of these teams playing in September. At least they’ll get a head start on the football season.
Resulg: Strode wins 7-3

MHD Brings his winningest record the last two seasons to 2006. An amazing offense is going to be tough for Krueg to handle, although Krueg looks to have a slight edge in speed. Pitching looks pretty equal and saves could be a swing category, with Krueg having one great closer, and MHD having a bunch of crappy ones.

Prediction: MHD wins 8-2

MATCH-UP #2: PATE VS. PEDRO

A very successful draft for Pate may turn out to be too much for Pedro to handle. However, Pedro’s draft wasn’t too shabby either. This match-up features a solid blend of speed and power for both teams which should result in a lot of close offensive categories. Injuries to Sheets and Todd Jones are going to be quite a hit to Pedro’s team the first couple of weeks. Expect a slow start for Pedro because of this, and Pate should win this match-up fairly handily, even if the offensive categories turn out to be close.

Prediction: Pate wins 7-3

MATCH-UP #3: TIMDAWG VS. LUKE

A match-up of mediocre teams could turn out to be a very fierce battle in the end. Offense looks to be a tight battle, and Timdawg appears to have a decent pitching advantage. This may be one key match-up to watch this week.

Prediction: Timdawg wins 6-4

MATCH-UP #4: GIBBY VS. PHIL

Gibby brings one of the game’s greatest players into a new season in a battle against one of the MML’s best strategical managers. Gibby looks to have the better offense, and a slight edge in pitching. Phil should have the saves category locked up, but besides that, he’s going to need some luck and/or some savvy managing to pull a win out this week.

Prediction: Gibby wins 6-4

MATCH-UP #5: ANDY VS. JIMMY

Andy brings in one of the league’s strongest teams while Jimmy brings in one of the league’s most improved teams. Andy appears to have a slightly better offense, but Jimmy has assembled an offense that could beat anybody’s if his players click. Andy has the better overall pitching staff, and should have no problem winning the saves category.

Prediction: Andy wins 7-3

MATCH-UP #6: PAUL VS. DICKMAN

2 offenses that don’t appear to have much flash to them will face off this week. Offensive categories look to be tight and low, and while Paul appears to have a better pitching staff, Dickman will benefit from having a much stronger relief core. Look for this match-up to come down to the wire.

Prediction: Tie 5-5

MATCH-UP #7: DUKE VS. MANTIS

Well, it’s no secret that Duke may have the crappiest team in the MML, while Mantis yet again made vast improvements to his team. Duke does appear to have a stronger offense, and Mantis’ team containing a lot of youth could struggle early on. Mantis should have the better pitching staff which could balance this match-up out and possibly nab him the victory.

Prediction: Mantis wins 6-4

MATCH-UP #8: LACKEY VS. STRODE

Strode’s got the offense to bury Lackey early in the week. Both teams have a very well balanced pitching staff and the pitching categories could end up being the difference maker in this match-up. Could be close at the end of the week, but don’t expect either of these teams to be close to making the playoffs at the end of the season.